Traction-wheel



F. MpKoE-TZ.

TRACTION WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.25| I9I9.

Patented Sept. 7, 1920.

UNITEDA STATES PATENT oFFicE.

FRANCIS M. KOETZ, OIE* WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS.

'rnAo'rIoN-WHEEIL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. '7, 1920.

Application filed October 25, 1919. Serial No. 333,193.

T0 all 'rcito/1i t may concern.'

Be it known that Iy FRANCIS M. Kon'rz. a citizen of the United States, residing at llVoodstock, in vthe county of McHenry, and

State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TractionlVheels, of which the following is a specification.

. the wheel is provided with adjustable cleats for use in passing over soft ground.

Iii the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a traction wheel provided with adjustable cleats according to this invention. F ig. 2is a plan view from above ot' a portion of thev wheel rim showing oneoi the cleats. Fig.

v 3 is a cross-section through the wheel rim taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. l and showing one of the cleats and the means for adjusting it.

The traction wheel is of any approved construction provided with a rim 2, spokes 3, and li'uli 4. The. rim has rectangular holes 5 formed in it at intervals between the spokes. .Each hole 5 has an angle-shaped cleat G Vpivoted to the rim by pivots `7 and working in the hole. The cleat is formed ofv -tivo plates arranged at a right-an le to cach other, and having a central sti ening rib 8. The pivots are arranged at'the junction or apex of the angle of the plates, and they engage with bearings 9 secured to the rim at one end of the holes. The lower plate 10 has notches 12 in its corners lwhichl work over stop lugs 14 on the rim, and the upper plate rests on these stop'lugs,` substantially Hush with the rim, when the cleat is turned down and not in use. As many cleats as desired are provided, but they are not all shown, as they are all alike.A When the cleats are pushed out, as shown invtlie drawings, they prevent the wheel from slipplllg;

A' disk 16 is formed of twohalves or sec-A tions bolted together, and 'this disk is mounted to oscillate on the hub I4' of the wheel; The cleats have lugs 17 on the ends v'of their lower plates 10,-and connecting-rods 18 arev provided which are pivoted at one end to thelugs 17 by pins 19. The other ends of the connecting-rods are pivoted to v the disk 16 by pins 20, and the connecting- `rods are made adjustable in length by turnlbuckles'21 at their middle parts.v

The cleats are raised and lowered by cured to the hubl of the wheel. The pinion is revolved by any-approved means, and the Y disk 1s secured by means of a pin 28 or any d other'approved locking device to the hub after its iosition has been adjusted.

That I claim is: 1. 'lhe combination, with a traction wheel having a rim provided with holes, said rim having also bearings and stops on its innerside at the opposite end portions of its holes, of cleats formed of rectangular plates arranged ata right angle to each other and v provided with stifening ribs, said cleats being provided with pivots at their apex portions'which engage with the said bearings, the longitudinal plates of the cleats being provided with notches to permit them to be turned inwardly past the stops until the radial plates rest against the stops, said longitudinal plates having also inwardly projecting lugs arranged between their notches, and means pivot-ed to the said lugs and operating to adjust the positions of the cleats.-

2. The combination, with a traction wheel having a rim provided with rectangular holes and having stops on its underside at the corneis lat one end of the holes, of bearings secured to the underside of the rim at the other end of the holes, cleats formed of rectangular plates arranged at a right angle to each other and provided with sti'ening ribs,'said cleats being pro- ',vided with pivots attheir apex portions eo v which engage with the said bearings, the

longitudinal plates of the'cleats being provided -with notches at their corners to. per- Iholes'and substantially close them, and the radial plates being adapted to engage with the said stops and means for moving the cleats wheel rim.v

signature. A

' FRANCIS M. `KOETZ.4

testimony whereofJ I have atiixed my pivotally and locking -them tov the 

